Variable-speed and reversing-motion driving mechanism.



No. 737,208. I PATENTED AUG. 25, 1903.. P. GHARRON & L. GIRARDOT. VARIABLE SPEED AND .REVERSING MOTION DRIVING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION I'ILED MAR. 22, 1902.

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No.737,208. g PATENTED AUG. 25, 1903. E. GHARRON & L. GIRARDO'I.

VARIABLE SPEED AND REVERSING MOTION DRIVING MEGHANiSM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 22, 1902. no MODEL. 2 SHEETS-$11231 2.

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stationary in its out-of-gear position.

' inversely.

5 U ITED STAT S Patented August 25, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

VARIABLE-SPEED AND REVERSING-MOTION DRIVINGTMECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent'N0. 737,208, dated August 25, 190 3.

Application-filed March 22, 1902; Serial No. 99,460. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, FERDINAND OHARRo ful Improvements in Variable-Speed and Reversin g-Motion Driving Mechanisms, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to an improved mechanism for motor-cars by which with a single operating-lever different changes of speed and reversing motion are obtained, this mechanism being remarkable through its simplicity, strength, and suppression of all springs and unnecessary movements. By pushing the lever in one direction the gear passes successively from the highest speed through the various intermediate speeds to the lowest speed and then to the reverse. By moving back the lever in the opposite direction inverse results are obtained. There is thus no useless movement of the lever. The varia tions of speed are obtained in the usual way .by causing the operating-lever to actby means of a gear on a rack, which on displacement draws along the intermediate geartrain known as the movable set of gear-wl1eels, which is submitted to a continuous rotary movement, so as to bring the different gearwheels of this train successively into mesh with the gear-wheels keyed on the shaft which is to be turned. The originality of this system lies in th combination with such variable-speed mechanism of a new and extremely-simple arrangement for reverse. After the movement of the lever has brought into gear the pinion of the movable set, which gives the smallest forward speed if the lever is pushed farther in the same direction the movable set comes clear of the gears keyed on shaft and are thus out of action. Then the gear of the operating-lever presents to the rack of the movable set a smooth part, so that this rack ceases to be drawn along, and the movable set is rendered On the axle of operating-lever gear is keyed a second gear, the toothed part of which corresponds with the smooth part of the aforesaid gear, and At this moment the second gear connects with a second rack, which it draws along in the opposite direction to that of the first rack, which results in the sliding of a supporting-shaft, so that it meshes simultaable set and with the 7 corresponding wheel keyed on shaft to be driven. The rotary move- 1116111101? themovable set is therefore trans- 6o mitted to the shaft to be driven by means. of an interposed pinion, so that this shaft turns in the reverse direction. The reversing motionhas thus'been produced. When the opdirection, the intermediate pinion is first ungeared and brought into resting position and the pinions of movable set come successively into gear with the wheels keyed on the shaft to be driven, which gives the forward motion 70 with upper part removed. Fig. 3 is a trans- 8o verse section on the ;line A B C D of Fig. 1,

showing the part-to the left of the section. plane. the gearing mechanism of the racks.

to which continuous rotary motion is given through the usual clutch. This shaft has a long prismatic part on which can slide the movable set of gear-wheels b, which is shown as comprising four gears 1 2 3 4. Above the 0 motor-driven shaft (0 is the shaft 0, on which four toothed wheels 5, 6, 7, and 8 are fixed. On displacing the movable set the wheels 1 and 5 are first brought into gear and give slow forward speed. and 6, 3 and 7, 4 and 8 are respectively brought into mesh, giving successively higher speed always forthe forwardmovement. Therotation of shaft 0 is transmitted by beveled wheels to shaft cl, which may drive the wheels'of the 100 car by means of chains The displacement of the movable set is brought about by the action of the operating-lever, (not shown on drawings,) which is keyed on the transverse broad auxiliary pinion mounted loose on a 'neously with the low-speed pinion of the movcrating-lever is brought back in the reverse Figs. .4 and 5 represent the details of On the drawings, a is the motor-driven shaft Oonsecutively gears 2 5 shaft f, carrying fixed to it the toothed sector g. The toothed sector g gears with a pin ion h, keyed on a shaft 1' and integral with a second pinion j, which is in gear with a rack 7 1, placed underneath it. An arm Z, attached to rack k and ending in a fork, engages in a groove m between collars on the sleeve of the movable set of gears. It will therefore be understood that on pushing the operating-1ever in one direction the toothed sector gis turned, and bythis the rack his moved and with it the sleeve of the movable gear set, so that the different pinions thereof enter successively into gear with the wheels on shaft 0, which producesthe variation of speed. If starting from the high speed, the operating-lever is moved in the reverse direction, the rack 76 is displaced in a corresponding direction, producing successively the corresponding engagement and disengagement of successively slower speeds, arriving at the position illustrated, for which the pinion of the slowest speed 1 leaves the wheel 5. This is the out-of-gear position. Just at this moment the gearingj, which works'the rack and which has no teeth except at one part of its circumference, presents to this its smooth part, Fig. 4, so that if the operating-lever is pushed farther in the same direction the rack 7t, and in consequence the movable-gear set I), is not carried with it; but on the shaft 2', carrying gearing j is keyed at the other end a second pinion n, showing toothed and smooth part in such a way that the toothed part corresponds with the smooth part of gearing and conversely. Above this gearing n is placed a second rack p, which can slide lon- I gitudinally and which carries an arm in shape of fork g, which engages a collar on the hub of a broad auxiliaryloose pinion r on the shaft 8. As the rack 17 can gear with the teeth of pinion n, if the operating-lever is pushed farther in the same direction after having passed the out-of-gear position the pinion on commences to gear with the rack 29, and this is displaced in the reversed direction, (from right to left in Figs. 2 and 4 of the drawings,) carrying with it the pinion r, the dimensions and position of which are such that it can gear simultaneously with the pinion 1 and the wheel 5. The rotation of pinion l is therefore transmitted to wheel 5, and therefore to shaft 0 through the medium of the interposed pinion 7*, so that in this way the motion is reversed. On pushing the operating-lever in the other direction the pinion r is disconnected from the wheel 5, while 1 and 5, 2 and G, and '7, and 4 and S are then put into gear. The racks 7.: and p are held in their positions of rest by means of small spring-bolts 25 and It, which frictionally engage in notches in the sides of these racks, Fig. 2.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we claim is 1. A variable-speed and reversingqnotion driving mechanism comprising two gears with a toothed portion and a smooth portion arranged opposite one to the other, an axle on which said gears are mounted, an operatinglever adapted to drive said axlc, two racks the one of which is placed below the first gear and is free to engage the toothed portion of same and the other of which is placed above the second gear and is free to engage the toothed portion of same, a set of gears or movable set adapted to be continually rotated and driven lengthwise 011 its axle by the first rack, and a broad auxiliary pinion loose on its axle and adapted to be driven lengthwise on said axle by the second rack, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A variable-speed and reversing-motion driving mechanism comprising a shaft 0, gears 5, 6, 7, 8 mounted on said shaft, a toothed sector g, an operating-lever mounted on the axle of said sector, a pinion h gearing with the sector, an axle 2' on which said pinion is mounted, a gear j having a smooth portion and a toothed portion mounted on the axle 11, a rack is gearing with said gearj by its toothed portion and sliding on same by its smoothportion, a set of gears 1, 2, 3, 4'. a motor-shaft a on which are mounted said gears 1, 2, 3, 4, an arm Z secured to the rack 76 and adapted to cause the gears 1, 2, 3, 4 to slide on the said motor-shaft a and to be brought successively into engagement with gears 5, (3, 7, S, a second. gear n mounted on axle i and having a smooth portion and a toothed portion, a rack 1) arranged above gear n and adapted to gear with its toothed portion, a broad auxiliary pinion 0', an axle s on which said pinion a" is loosely mounted, an arm (1 secured to the rack 12, adapted to cause said pinion r to slide on its axle and to be brought simultaneously into engagement with gears 1 and 5, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. Variable-s peed an d revcrsin g mechanism comprising a set of driving-gears of different sizes; a set of driven gears of diiferent sizes adapted to mesh therewith; two rack-bars parallel with the axes of the driving and driven gears; connections between one of the racks and one set of gears; a reversing-pinion normally disconnected from the driving and driven gears, and connected with the other of said racks; means for moving one of the racks to shift the set of gears with whichit is connected; and devices for shifting the reversing-pinion to cause it to gear with the driving and driven gears after the first-named rack has ceased to move.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of two witnesses.

FERDINAND GIIARRON. LEONOE GIRARDOT.

Witnesses ANTOINE LABoRx, EVERETT P. MAcLEAN. 

